Under the terms of a plea bargain, he was allowed to plead guilty to one charge of manslaughter, for which he served 14 years of a 25-year sentence. Officials disputed it and attributed him with a combat kill of zero. You may unsubscribe at any time. She too was never seen alive again. When discussing the murders of the two children in 1972, he told the detectives that Jack Blake had been bothering him, so he hit him, killing him by mistake. Arthur Shawcross: Vile cannibal who loved to eat women. Felicia went missing December 26, 1989, and a few days later on the 31st, a pair of hikers found some jeans with her ID in the pocket. Early Life. Hunters discovered his next victim, 27-year-old prostitute Dorothy Blackburn, on March 24, 1988. When Delhi residents became aware of Shawcross' presence, the couple moved to nearby Fleischmanns, only to be met with hostility there as well. He claims he was molested by an aunt at age nine, but his family disputes that claim. For detectives, June Stott's murder sent the investigation into a tailspin. Authorities didnt find Jacks body for five months, but analysis showed the boy suffered from a sexual assault before his death. Shawcross, however, was a very troubled child and would often bully other children and act violently at school, even developing a habit of bringing an iron bar with him to classes. After the criticism, the Department of Correctional Services banned the Corrections on Canvas in 2002. Fortunately for the authorities, Shawcross had, as speculated, returned to the scene of one of his crimes to relive the pleasure of the attack. A police helicopter searching for a body along the river spotted a man on a bridge near one of the murder victims. Neighbors remembered that Shawcross had been seen with Karen in the vicinity of the bridge before her disappearance, and he had a history of minor run-ins with local children. Frances "Franny" Brown, age 22, was last seen alive leaving Lyell Avenue on November 11, with a client known by some of the prostitutes as Mike or Mitch. Arthur Shawcross, also known as "The Genesee River Killer," was responsible for the murders of 12 women in upstate New York from 1988 to 1990. Abstract. Died in prison on November 10, 2008. Was Chris Benoit The Guy We Thought He Was, Or A Violent FamilyMurderer? Dental records provided additional confirmation. July 21, 2017. While several later tests showed his intelligence to be sub-normal or even "borderline disabled,"[citation needed] Shawcross received As and Bs in his first two years of grade school but was later tested to have an IQ of 86, signifying below-average intelligence. Arthur Shawcross, AKA The Genesee River Killer, murdered at least 14 people. A monster, whose release is still considered one of the most egregious examples of the unwarranted release of a prisoner. ThoughtCo, Sep. 8, 2021, thoughtco.com/profile-of-serial-killer-arthur-shawcross-973145. In the Spring of 1972, 10-year-old Jack Owen Blake disappeared after going out to play near the Cloverdale apartments where Shawcross lived. Shawcross says he snapped her neck before cutting her open. 9. Arthur Shawcross died in prison in 2008 at the age of 63. He would often miss classes, and when he was there, he regularlymisbehaved and had the reputation of being a bully and picking fights with other students. The subject of Interview with a Serial Killer streaming on Netflix nowspeaks out in his own chilling words. 0. Also, based on the lack of semen found on his victims, he was sexually dysfunctional and found gratification after his victims were dead. Shawcross was born on June 6, 1945, and died on November 10, 2008, while serving a life sentence for the murder of 11 women. He returned to Watertown, and by the following April, he was married for the third time and working for the Public Works Department. He explained to the detectives that the reason he mutilated her body after killing her was a kind favor he extended to her so that she would decompose faster. Within six months of each other, two Watertown children went missing in September 1972. With each victim that he confessed to the killing, he includedwhat the victim had done to deserve what they got. At the beginning of November, Jo Ann Van Nostrand told police about a client named Mitch who paid her to play dead and then he would try to strangle her, which she did not allow. While in Vietnam, along with killing 39 menduring combat (which was a proven lie) Shawcross also used the venue to describe in grotesque detailshow he murdered, then cooked and ate, two Vietnam women. Shawcross had a reputation at school as a bully and would frequently act out violently. To get through the PTSD, I used therapy and microdosing 5-meo-DMT. And as if to toast in the New Year, the serial killer attacked one more time on December 28, plucking 20-year-old Felicia Stephens off the streets. Investigators were unable to identify the victim whose bones were found, so they hired an anthropologist to reconstruct the victim's facial features based on a skull that found on the scene. Serial killer Arthur Shawcross, whose drive to murder was analyzed by Dr. Dorothy Lewis, had been convicted in the deaths of two children in New York before ultimately securing parole and killing more. Authorities ran criminal background checks on possible suspects, but sealing Shawcross previous records meant they didnt show up in any checks. Shawcross did time in prison for these crimes, being released 1 year early and being settled in . You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Shawcross was 27 years old, divorced for the third time and would be locked away until the age of 52, but after serving just 14 1/2 years,he was released from prison. He then confessed to murdering the others. [12], In 2003, Shawcross was interviewed by British reporter Katherine English for a documentary on cannibalism. Her boots were found in another location after the patrol expanded thesearch. After Vietnam, he was stationed in Oklahoma where he remarried (Shawcross was already once divorced and had given up parental rights to a child who he never saw again) and worked as an armorer. The detectives gave Shawcross a list of 16 women missing or murdered, and he immediately denied having anything to do with five of them. This Hiking Photo Has A ChillingBackstory, She Met A Man Online And Ended Up Taking Down An Active SerialKiller. On October 21, 1989, the body of homeless woman Dorothy Keeler, aged 59, was discovered followed six days later by another prostitute, Patricia Ives, in the same area. Dietz told the producers of "Crazy, Not Insane" that he believes multiple personality disorder, generally speaking, is "a hoax." After his release and discharge from the army, Shawcross and his second wife would move to Clayton, New York where Shawcross would terrorize the surrounding counties until his final arrest. Montaldo, Charles. He was released on parole in April 1987. Founded in 2010, Thought Catalog is owned and operated by The Thought & Expression Company, Inc. For over a decade, we've been at the bleeding edge of media, pioneering an infrastructure for creatives to flourish both artistically and financially. By Gina Tron. People like Arthur Shawcross, the Rochester, NY based killer who killed 12 women . Shawcross began developing a habit of looking for prostitutes and would use his girlfriend (who he was having an affair with) Claras car to go to Lake Avenue near the Genesee River which was an industrial area well known for cheap prostitutes and drug dealers. Arthur Shawcross was an American Postwar & Contemporary artist who was born in 1945. They saidthat the killer showed characteristics of a manin his 30s, white, and who knew his victims. After deliberating for just one-half hour, they found him sane and guilty. His early release from prison or even the fact he was even being . At this time he divorced his first wife and gave up his rights to their 18-month-old son, whom he never saw again. From school records it can be independently verified that he was an inveterate truant, with a particularly low IQ, a tendency to bullying and violence and that he came under suspicion for a series of juvenile arson attacks as well as burglaries. Shawcross killed most of his victims from 1988 to . He dumped her body into the Salmon River, one of his favorite fishing spots. Getty ImagesArthur Shawcross leaves court in 1990 in Rochester, New York. ThoughtCo. Then learn the horrifying story of Rodney Alcala, the serial killer who won The Dating Game during his murder spree. An aerial search commenced and her body was found on January 3rd. YouTubeA mugshot of a young Arthur Shawcross. Following Dotsies murder, Shawcross became a Lake Avenue regular and was known to the prostitutes by the name of Mitch. Arthur Shawcross Photo: Getty Images Serial killer Arthur Shawcross murdered 11 women in upstate New York in less than a two-year . He Wanted Her To Stop Yelling. ", Astrological Sign: Gemini, Death Year: 2008, Death date: November 10, 2008, Death State: New York, Death City: Albany, Death Country: United States, Article Title: Arthur Shawcross Biography, Author: Biography.com Editors, Website Name: The Biography.com website, Url: https://www.biography.com/crime/arthur-shawcross, Publisher: A&E; Television Networks, Last Updated: October 27, 2021, Original Published Date: April 2, 2014. On November 10th, 2008 Shawcross complained to officers about a pain in his leg. No matter how you look at it, Arthur Shawcross was a troubled person. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. Site contains certain content that is owned A&E Television Networks, LLC. The serial killer, also known as the Monster of the Rivers, the Genesee River Strangler, and the Genesee River Killer, was not a small man. cause of death. They finally tracked down Shawcross via the car's registration, which was in the name of his girlfriend Clara Neal. Allegedly, the youngster then began experimenting with this sexuality in many ways, including homosexuality and bestiality, by age 11. He murdered two kids and never disclosed the reason. All other charges were dropped and he was sentenced to a 25-years in prison. Charles Montaldo is a writer and former licensed private detective who worked with law enforcement and insurance firms investigating crime and fraud. 1 reference. Arthur Shawcross was blinking in . Like the other women found, June Stott suffered a vicious beating before dying. Three women disappeared, one right after the other: In an effort to find the missing women, police organizedan air search of the Genesee River Gorge. Shawcross is known to have killed at least 14 people, as well as being a known cannibal and mutilator. The day of her death, October 21, 1989, Dorothy and Shawcross had spent the day fishing and having sex before getting into an argument about Shawcrosss various affairs and how hed been stealing money. One victim tried to steal his wallet, another wouldn't be quiet, another made fun of him, and yet another had nearly bitten off his penis. As to his claims to have killed and devoured two Vietnam women, two psychiatrists that interviewed him agreed that Shawcross changed the story so often that it became unbelievable. 20. He also said that while strangling her she struggled so hard she broke a gearshift in his car. The victims were:[7], All the victims were murdered in Monroe County except for Gibson, who was killed in neighboring Wayne County. When a pair of discarded jeans was discovered near the river on December 31, 1989, containing an ID card for a girl named Felicia Stephens, police began an aerial search of the surrounding area. Arthur Shawcross was skilled in having conversation with the prosititues about buying sex. Eventually, he led his victims to the Genesee River and murdered them. Back in the penitentiary, he proved as enigmatic as . Personal Life. Patrol teams on the ground were alerted to the vehicle, which had sped away. 3. In a disturbing interview, Shawcross details some of his crimes while vehemently refusing to discuss others. He frequently lied about what he did. On January 2, another air and ground search was organized and right before calling it off due to bad weather, the air team spotted what appeared to be the body of a half-nude femalelaying face down near the Salmon Creek. "Shawcross Sent to Attica In Child's Death", "Serial killer profile: Arthur Shawcross", "A Serial-Murder Trial, On TV, Grips Rochester", "He Should Suffer: Why Was Serial Killer Arthur Shawcross Paroled Before Murder Spree? He was arrested the next day. Arthur Shawcross is a man that committed his life to killing people. [4], A grand jury indicted Shawcross for murder in Hill's death. She had been beaten and strangled to death. The jury in the Arthur Shawcross trial was unpersuaded by Lewis's diagnosis of DID and duly convicted Shawcross of murder after just half-an-hour's deliberation. He admitted to 11 murders (he was not officially charged with a 12th), and his confession was an astounding 80 pages long. He appeared to be either masturbating or urinating. He was probably a local man familiar with the area, and he probably had a criminal record. His final victim was Felicia Stephens, another 19-year-old prostitute. On October 23, June Stott, 30, was reported missing by her boyfriend. It did not take long for Shawcross to return to his murderous ways. Arthur John Shawcross, handwritten account, 1990. He died in hospital in Albany, New York on the 10 November 2008, aged 63.. At the time he was incarcerated at Sullivan Correction Facility in the Hudson Valley and had been transferred for medical treatment. Just three weeks later, Shawcross married his third wife who was pregnant with his child. His formal confession was nearly 80 pages long. Shawcross stood trail in 1990 for 10 murders across Monroe County, New York. He set fires to a local paper mill and the factory where he worked before being arrested and sentenced to five years in prison. Shawcrosss third victim of the 20-month spree was 59-year-old former waitress, Dorothy Keeler, with whom Shawcross had struck up a friendship. Then the body of 26-year-old June Stott, who was neither a prostitute nor drug user, was found on Thanksgiving Day. He could have remained silent, yet it seemed he wanted to shock his interrogators, knowing that they could do nothing to him, regardless of how he described his crimes. The body, which was surrounded by fresh footprints in the snow, was that of June Cicero. He was pronounced dead at 9:50p.m. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Arthur Shawcross, also known as the Genesee River Killer, was in prison after . Shawcross and his girlfriend Clara Neal were brought to the police station for questioning. Ressler wrote that "[Shawcross's] claim of having witnessed wartime atrocities was patently outrageous and untrue." His next three victims, 25-year-old Patricia Ives, 32-year-old Frances Brown, and 22-year-old Maria Welch, were all prostitutes Shawcross picked up and murdered while having sex with them. In all the previous cases at least some attempt at concealment had been made, which police felt indicated previous criminal or military experience. Shawcross was born in Kittery, Maine in 1945, the oldest of four children. On the first episode of this two-part series, we explore the grim origins of brutal serial killer Arthur Shawcross, from his incestuous childhood to his time in 'Nam to his inexplicably numerous marriages. 4. He was born Arthur John Shawcross in Kittery, Maine on June 6, 1945, and grew up an unhappy kid. He was 63 years old. The charges were pled down to one count of manslaughter and he was released on parole in 1987. A few months later, Shawcross was taken to Wayne County to be tried for Elizabeth Gibson's murder. A food service worker, Shawcross trawled the streets of Rochester in his girlfriend's 1984 Dodge Omni (later using her 1987 Chevrolet Celebrity), looking for sex workers to kill. Several weeks later on April 22, 1972, he married his third wife, Penny Sherbino, who was pregnant with his child. With the body count mounting, the police sought assistance from FBI profilers. Charles Montaldo. Darlene Trippi, 32, was known for pairing up for safety with veteran Jo Ann Van Nostrand, yet on December 15, she like others before her, disappeared off Lyell Avenue. ", "Is this why Ted Bundy became a murderer? Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Shawcross is in part responsible for the 2001 ban of prisoners being able to sell artwork they create while incarcerated. Years later, while serving in Vietnam, Arthur John Shawcross wrote bloodcurdling letters about his battlefield ordeals, then returned to Watertown to commit a string of arsons and burglaries. Murder Inc. In November 1990, Shawcross went to trial for the 10 murders that had occurred in Monroe County. Shawcross paintings in prison bring new meaning to the phrase still waters run deep. If Arthur Shawcross developed a love of art earlier on instead of killing, perhaps his paintings of rivers and lakes would have been a healthier outlet for his emotions. When approached, Shawcross agreed to assist the police with their enquiries. Unfortunately, over the next two-year,many of the prostitutes that he got to know would end up dead. He also claimed a "combat kill" total of 39 which, when investigated later, was also discounted as fabrication; authorities claim he killed no one on his tour of duty. He preyed primarily upon prostitutes from Lyell Ave, raping and mutilating his victims before and after dumping their bodies in out of the way locations throughout the city.He had a penchant for securing their bodies by way of a .